


Five Times Kaneki Ignored Tsukiyama's Advice And One Time He Didn't

by zynnser



Category: Tokyo Ghoul
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-20
Updated: 2014-12-20
Packaged: 2018-03-02 08:18:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,629
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2805812
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zynnser/pseuds/zynnser
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The first time Tsukiyama tried to offer unsolicited advice after joining Kaneki’s crusade, he was unceremoniously shot down.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Five Times Kaneki Ignored Tsukiyama's Advice And One Time He Didn't

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SilentJo](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilentJo/gifts).



> Beta'ed by [Kari](http://archiveofourown.org/users/neesha89/pseuds/Kari/), all remaining mistakes are my own.

1.

The first time Tsukiyama tried to offer unsolicited advice after joining Kaneki’s crusade, he was unceremoniously shot down.

“Kaneki-kun,” Tsukiyama said, moving to stand beside Kaneki as he watched the CCG overrun the Aogiri Tree facility below. “I do believe you’ll need a new look if you want to direct unwanted attention away from Anteiku. Might I make a suggestion?”

The look Kaneki gave him had a hard edge to it that hadn’t been there before he disappeared, but Tsukiyama didn’t let it deter him. The restaurant had always had its fair share of unsavory characters, and he’d never been one to balk at their stares.

“I like the barista grunge look you have going on,” Tsukiyama continued, ignoring the darkening of Kaneki’s eyes at the mention of his work at Anteiku. “And I know that previously I suggested a bold top to draw out the width of your shoulders, but perhaps a softer color would serve better. A lavender coat in particular would draw attention to your eyes, which are an object worthy of intrigue from any connoisseur. Or perhaps a suit of white to-”

“Tsukiyama-san,” Kaneki interrupted, not shifting his focus from the scene below. “I do not need your input.”

Tsukiyama quieted, reminding himself that he should be willing to back down now in order to preserve his position for the future. From his place at Kaneki’s right hand, he would learn how to exert his influence to shape him into a work of art.

  
2.

The second time went about as well as the first.

“ _Mi amore_ , have you heard the news?” Tsukiyama announced as he strode into the house Kaneki had transformed into his headquarters, ignoring the way Banjou’s band of merry men shrank out of the way as he passed by.

Kaneki glanced up from the book he was reading, his gaze automatically sweeping over Tsukiyama in a cursory assessment. “I don’t see anything wrong,” he said, apparently satisfied that Tsukiyama's arrival didn't herald their imminent doom. 

“Ah, but it is good news,” Tsukiyama clarified, waltzing over to pluck the book from Kaneki’s hands. Kaneki narrowed his eyes, sitting up and extending his hand in a wordless demand for its return.

“Martial arts again, Kaneki-kun,” Tsukiyama tsked as he paged through the book. “This is the seventh one this week. It’s not good to have such a limited repertoire in your reading; you used to have such good taste.”

“I still have good taste, Tsukiyama-san,” Kaneki replied, rising further off the couch when Tsukiyama edged out of reach. “I just find books containing martial arts more immediately useful.”

Tsukiyama couldn’t deny the truth in that statement, so he hummed in agreement and held out the book as a peace offering before Kaneki could come after him to retrieve it. “It just seems a shame to waste such intense passion on practicalities.”

Kaneki snatched the book out of Tsukiyama’s hands, flipping it open to make sure he hadn’t lost his place. “Reading a variety of material doesn’t mean I’ve lost my appetite for the finer things in life. I know Murakami’s new release was today.”

Tsukiyama blinked, surprised that Kaneki had known exactly what news he had to share.

Kaneki raised an eyebrow at his expression. “You thought I didn’t know?” he asked, lips quirking at the edges when Tsukiyama failed to respond. “I always keep track of my favorite authors.”

“I see,” Tsukiyama said stiltedly, still somewhat thrown by Kaneki’s statement. “Then perhaps you’d consider an outing to purchase the new book? Maybe stop at a cafe to make a day of it?”

Looking up from his book, Kaneki’s face morphed into the fond expression he always got when thinking about Anteiku. Tsukiyama frowned, hoping he could coax Kaneki into accompanying him to the store without having to deal with any unwanted companions.

“Perhaps some other time, Tsukiyama-san,” Kaneki said, coming back to the present and looking Tsukiyama in the eye. “I promised Hinami that I would take her to the store today, and she doesn’t have the chance to go out much.”

Tsukiyama put on a smile and inclined his head to indicate sympathy with Hinami’s plight. “Of course, perhaps some other time.”

Turning to leave, Tsukiyama almost missed hearing Kaneki’s next words.

“Thank you for taking the time to think of me, Tsukiyama-san.”

Tsukiyama smiled.

  
3.

The third time, Tsukiyama tried a different tack.

“Kaneki-kun, you shouldn’t be going out alone,” Tsukiyama said disapprovingly from his vantage point near the door, watching Kaneki dress in his black catsuit for an evening of hunting.

Kaneki grunted in reply as he pulled at the clingy fabric, more focused on wrangling the material than on the conversation. Tsukiyama took the opportunity to admire the way the leggings and pants highlighted the lean muscle Kaneki had put on since his capture by Aogiri Tree. The skintight outfit might not have been Tsukiyama’s suggestion, but he still couldn’t help but admire the way it combined streamlined elegance with functionality.

When he finally slipped his head through the hoodie he wore over the ensemble, Kaneki turned to glare at Tsukiyama.

“It’s not that I don’t think you can’t take care of yourself,” Tsukiyama said, preemptively cutting off any speech Kaneki might have been working up to. “It’s just that these things are easier when you have someone to watch your back.”

That earned him a raised eyebrow. “You’ve never needed anyone to watch your back, Tsukiyama-san, and I don’t either.”

“I didn’t say that you did.”

Tsukiyama watched as Kaneki crossed his arms and waited, clearly expecting clarification. Blowing out his breath, Tsukiyama reminded himself that it was undignified to run a hand through his hair, no matter how much he might want to.

There really was no way he could say this without coming across as a micromanaging cynic, so Tsukiyama didn’t bother sugar coating it. “I’m concerned about your diet.”

“Haven’t you heard?” Kaneki drawled, shoving his hands into his hoodie pocket. “Cannibalism is all the rage these days.”

“And with it comes risks that I’d rather not see you take,” Tsukiyama said, hoping Kaneki would get both meanings. That Kaneki insisted on fighting and eating ghouls was bad enough, but every case study Tsukiyama had heard of also indicated that it led to a level of mental instability that was undesirable to say the least.

There was a reason no one wanted to live in the 24th ward.

“Just because the local denizens know I eat ghouls doesn’t mean they’re able to take me down,” Kaneki reminded him, as if he’d forgotten. “That’s part of why I live here.”

“And since I’ve seen and approved of your skills personally, you know that wasn’t what I was referring to.”

“Tsukiyama-san,” Kaneki said, posture relaxing in the face of Tsukiyama’s concern. “I’m not going to be the next Yamori. That isn’t something that interests me.”

He hadn’t thought that Kaneki planned to follow in Yamori’s footsteps any more than he had followed Rize’s but hearing it explicitly released a knot of tension in Tsukiyama’s chest that he hadn’t realized was there.

“Nonetheless, there is more than one type of insanity,” Tsukiyama warned, stepping to the side to give Kaneki access to the door.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Kaneki said as he made his way over to the door. Tsukiyama turned to watch as he slipped on his shoes, reaching into the bag he kept by the door to retrieve his mask. When he slipped it on, his face transformed from the reserved expression he usually wore into eerie visage of white on red on black.

Pulling up his hood, Kaneki turned to face Tsukiyama again, head tilted at an angle as though he were thinking. “If you would stay until I get back, there’s something I’d like to discuss with you.”

“I’ll be here,” Tsukiyama said immediately, accepting the olive branch for what it was.

Kaneki nodded, a flash of red visible under his hood before he turned and slipped out the door. Tsukiyama waited until the door latched shut behind him before making his way over to the kitchen to make himself a cup of coffee while he waited. If he couldn’t convince Kaneki to moderate his consumption of ghouls, at least he could be there to deal with the inevitable fallout.

  
4.

The fourth time Tsukiyama tried to sway Kaneki over to his point of view didn’t go any better than his previous attempts.

“This really is a lovely house, Kaneki-kun,” Tsukiyama said, making a show of admiring the trim on the walls as he leaned against the doorjamb.

“It’s a convenient location,” Kaneki replied as he pulled on his workout clothes. “Which you know since you helped find an innocuous neighborhood that would make a good base.”

“Indeed,” Tsukiyama agreed, remembering the hours Kaneki had put in to sussing out the perfect place for the house. It had taken almost a month of subtle inquiries and shrewd bargaining to acquire accommodation for so many ghouls in an existing ward without raising any hackles, and watching Kaneki stretch his wings to defend his fledgling flock had been an experience Tsukiyama didn’t plan to forget.

“Still,” Tsukiyama continued, “I can’t help but think that it would be more useful to have everyone here, especially now that you’re making waves with your eating habits.”

“I do have everyone here.”

“You do?” Tsukiyama said incredulously, feeling something he might have labeled as betrayal if he didn’t know better.

Kaneki gave him a crooked grin, looking him right in the eyes as he twisted the knife deeper. “Everyone who needs to be here, Tsukiyama-san.”

“Why?” Tsukiyama asked, his voice going quiet the way it only ever did when he was serious.

Gaze softening at Tsukiyama’s distress, Kaneki leaned in close enough that they wouldn’t be overheard and placed a comforting hand on Tsukiyama’s shoulder. “I appreciate what you’ve done for me, but I can’t justify keeping a weapon here with Banjou and Hinami and everyone else. If you wish to remain my sword you will have continue living elsewhere.”

It wasn’t that Tsukiyama hadn’t understood that he didn’t mesh well with the other members of Kaneki’s entourage, but hearing it said out loud seemed to cast a new light on the subject, making it seem less harsh and unbearable.

“Of course,” he said, regaining his manners and stepping back to give Kaneki a sweeping bow. “In that case, I shall retire to the armory, unless you have need of a sparring partner this evening?”

His comment earned him a rare smile of gratitude. “No thank you, Tsukiyama-san. I will see you tomorrow to discuss our next move.”

Tsukiyama dipped his head in acknowledgment and made his way to the door, shutting it gently behind him as Kaneki started his pre-workout stretches in silence. Taking a deep breath of the outside air Tsukiyama turned toward his apartment, satisfied with the security of his place at Kaneki’s side.

  
5.

The fifth time Tsukiyama made a suggestion, it might have come out a little harsher than he intended.

In his defense, his day had gone from bad to worse starting with a moderately violent run in with Touka in which she had taken out her frustrations at Kaneki’s reclusive habits on him and culminating in _this_ , a reminder that out of everyone in Kaneki’s team _he_ was the only one not trusted enough - not _good_ enough - to live in the communal house.

Banjou glanced up from his seat in the foyer when Tsukiyama entered, his body language instantly going from relaxed to on guard. Tsukiyama did his best to ignore it, striding past him to take a seat next to Hinayana on the couch, but the blatant distrust still stung.

Hadn’t he proven his dedication to Kaneki? Hadn’t he done it convincingly enough? Or had Banjou and his band of misfits conveniently forgotten about the incident where Tsukiyama helped Kaneki eliminate all the ghouls from his old stomping grounds just because Kaneki had requested it?

Whatever the case, the barely restrained hostility in the room did nothing to improve Tsukiyama’s mood.

“Were you looking for onii-chan?” Hinami asked, looking up from the collection of short stories she had open on her lap. He nodded and she blinked guilelessly up at him, appearing completely oblivious to the tension around her. “He’s upstairs. He’s been upset lately.”

Tsukiyama briefly considered the merits of waiting for Kaneki to emerge on his own before discarding the idea; he was liable to hide himself away from the world unless there was some earth shattering crisis afoot. It would be good for him to have some company.

“Thank you for telling me, milady,” Tsukiyama said, standing up and giving her a courtly bow and reaching out to kiss the back of her hand. “I shall endeavor to rescue your prince and return him to your side.”

Hinami giggled, pulling her hand away and gracing Tsukiyama with a genuine smile. “I don’t think onii-chan needs to be rescued today, Tsukiyama-san.”

“Ah, let me tell you a secret,” Tsukiyama replied, raising his finger to his lips as he leaned in to whisper in her ear. “Kaneki-kun needs to be saved from himself more often than not.”

When he pulled back, Hinami’s expression had morphed into a determined frown.

“Please look after him,” she said earnestly.

“It will be my pleasure,” Tsukiyama replied with a smile, turning to walk toward the spiral staircase. As he climbed up to Kaneki’s room, she met his eyes and gave him a slight nod of encouragement. Perhaps he could recruit her as an ally in his mission to get Kaneki to move past the pain he insisted on wearing like armor.

Upstairs, Tsukiyama found Kaneki sprawled on his bed, rereading a Takatsuki Sen book. He didn’t look up when Tsukiyama entered the room, just flipped to the next page.

“Kaneki-kun,” Tsukiyama said, stepping toward the bed. “You’re should get out more; you’re starting to worry your army.”

Kaneki let out a sigh, giving Tsukiyama a disappointed look as he marked his place and set the book down. “Banjou-san will worry no matter what I do, and his contingent takes their cues from him,” Kaneki said with a shrug. “Don’t tell me you’re concerned too.”

Tsukiyama clutched at his chest dramatically. “You wound me, Kaneki-kun. Your welfare is always at the forefront of my mind.” Kaneki raised his eyebrows and gave Tsukiyama a look, which he categorically ignored. “But I wasn’t referring to myself; no one here is happy with how erratic you’ve been lately. It’s hard on all of us, especially Hinami-chan.”

He regretted bringing Hinami up as soon as he said her name, but there was no taking it back. Tsukiyama waited for Kaneki’s reaction with his words hanging in the air between them, hoping he hadn’t pushed hard enough to make Kaneki slam up his walls in defense.

Kaneki frowned, hands clasped in front of him as he stared at the ground. Good. If he thought over his actions and how they were affecting people - people he _cared_ about - maybe Tsukiyama could guide him back toward a less self-destructive path.

“I wish I could take Hinami-chan out more,” Kaneki said at last, still not looking at Tsukiyama. “She deserves it, but it’s not safe. Either she goes out with someone who can’t protect her, or she goes out with a high profile ghoul who is likely to attract unwanted attention. There’s no good option.”

That wasn’t exactly what he’d been angling for, but Tsukiyama would take it. If he could guilt Kaneki into spending more time with Hinami, he could probably convince her to assist him in making sure Kaneki didn’t run himself into the ground.

“Maybe if you went with her,” Tsukiyama suggested. “You’ve changed a lot since your early run ins with the CCG.”

Kaneki laughed, mouth twisting into a grim smile as he finally turned to look at Tsukiyama. “And you know as well as I do that I drew too much attention to myself at Kanou’s lab. They’ll be looking for me as I am now. But... maybe you could take her out, at least to visit Anteiku.”

“If you want,” Tsukiyama replied, making sure to keep the irritation out of his voice. Spending time with Hinami was hardly a chore, but it lost a lot of its appeal if Kaneki didn’t plan on joining them. Still, if it helped at all, he would do it.

“Please,” Kaneki responded, turning back to look at the floor. With a sigh, he picked up his book, flipping back to the page he had marked earlier. “Was there anything else, Tsukiyama-san?”

“No,” Tsukiyama said, admitting to himself that he wasn’t going to make any more progress with Kaneki in a mood like this. “Nothing else.”

Kaneki grunted in lieu of replying, and Tsukiyama took that as his dismissal. Slipping from the room, he made his way quietly back down the stairs before heading to the front door. He would come back in a day or two to take Hinami out and prime her to keep an eye on Kaneki’s increasingly secretive behavior.

It would a shame to lose all his hard work because of Kaneki's stubbornness, Tsukiyama told himself as he left.

  
+1

When Tsukiyama finally managed to get Kaneki to listen to his advice, it wasn’t spoken so much as it was shown.

Banjou wasn’t the only one who had special rooftop sessions with Kaneki, although he was the only one who routinely emerged from them completely and thoroughly defeated. Tsukiyama had spent a good deal of time in his teenage years seeking out the thrill of the fight, and now he took great delight in passing on those experiences to Kaneki.

Watching Kaneki run toward him at full speed, Tsukiyama readied his defense. The blow was quick and jarring, forcing Tsukiyama to take a step back to maintain his balance. By the time he had reoriented himself for a counterstrike Kaneki was gone from his field of vision.

Tsukiyama morphed his kagune into its offensive form and settled in to wait, feeling familiar enough with this style of fighting to be reasonably confident that he could handle whatever Kaneki threw his way.

The next attack came from the side, allowing Tsukiyama to block and throw Kaneki in the same movement. Taking the momentary advantage, Tsukiyama lunged forward and sliced through the air only to be stopped by two of Kaneki’s tentacles.

Tightening the spiral around his shoulder, Tsukiyama rotated the bladed section of his kagune. Kaneki winced as the edge scraped against his scales, releasing Tsukiyama from his grip and vaulting out of range.

“You fight like Touka-chan used to,” Tsukiyama commented, buying himself some time to recover. “It works beautifully for you.”

“It’s not a style suited to fighting you though, is it,” Kaneki said, already knowing the answer. Tsukiyama shook his head and smiled, thinking of the icy sapphire fire he always associated with Touka’s fighting style. In the past, Kaneki had burned brighter than that, a rough red gem among the jaded colors of other ghouls. Now he appeared before Tsukiyama as a polished amethyst, vibrant and irresistible.

“One of the advantages of your kagune is its versatility,” Tsukiyama said, carefully not mentioning that it was a trait of _Rize’s_ kagune and not _rinkaku_ kagune in general. “It’s flexible and strong; you could conceivably use it to mimic any other style and give yourself an advantage in any fight. Of course,” he smiled at Kaneki and gestured to his own kagune, “if you model the wrong type you’ll be at a disadvantage.”

With that Tsukiyama charged at Kaneki, delivering a flurry of blows that required Kaneki to utilize all four tentacles to block. When they broke apart, Tsukiyama was pleased to see Kaneki’s chest heaving in exertion; it seemed he hadn’t lost his touch yet.

“So if I do this, I’d have the advantage?” Kaneki asked sweetly, sharpening the tips of his kagune and thrusting them forward in a rapid series of sharp blows against Tsukiyama’s hastily erected defense. He recognized the attack from the time he spent with Rize, and although Kaneki’s form was much more predictable, it was just as difficult to block due to its coordination and sheer force.

“You do,” Tsukiyama conceded when Kaneki let off, cautiously moving his kagune into a neutral position at his side.

Kaneki followed suit, his tentacles folding themselves behind him like so many extra limbs. “Would you be willing to teach me, Tsukiyama-san? That spiral of yours seems to be very adaptable.”

Tsukiyama smiled, pleased with Kaneki’s appreciation. Bringing his kagune back in front of him, he expanded and tightened the helix, showing off the way it moved. “Would you rather I explain or would you prefer a demonstration?”

“Demonstration first, then practice,” Kaneki decided, moving to stand next to Tsukiyama. He leaned forward, inspecting the Tsukiyama’s kagune before moving one of his own limbs into an approximation of the shape.

“Like this?” he questioned, flexing a limb and getting a feel for the new shape.

“Flatten the shape so you have more surface area to block attacks,” Tsukiyama said, gesturing at his own kagune. “The upper portion works both as a shield and shock absorber.”

Kaneki followed his advice, and as they stepped through a few basic patterns of attack together Tsukiyama felt something warm settling over him. He might not be the one Kaneki went to for general advice and he might not be able to save Kaneki from himself, but Kaneki trusted him to have his back in a fight. And he could be damned sure that he was leaving his mark in a manner that befitted him as Kaneki’s sword.

**Author's Note:**

> Murakami Haruki (mentioned in part 2) is an acclaimed Japanese novelist whose stories contain similar themes to other things Kaneki enjoys reading.


End file.
